Bike registration law rolls toward repeal

A Back Alley Bikes/Trips for Kids Detroit ride through Downtown

Detroit’s Council’s Public Health and Safety Committee wants to put the brakes on enforcing the bicycle licensing program. During today’s public hearing, the Committee heard many perspectives from the police and public.

Councilwoman Sheila Cockrel motioned for removing all of the current bike licensing language. She wants to meet with the police and stakeholder groups (including cyclists) during the Council’s August recess to develop new bicycle ordinance language that makes sense.

There was perhaps a three dozen cyclists in attendance, most of whom provided public comment in support of the motion. Some cyclists in the audience had already received tickets for riding a bicycle without a license. One cyclist had also received a ticket for not having a bell or horn on their bike — another Detroit ordinance.

Perhaps the best quote of the day was from Bike Riders United’s Ron Scott. Scott invited the police to “Get on the bike with us and ride in the same direction.”

The Committee motion was approved and will be voted on by the entire Council tomorrow.

Media Coverage

• Council committee backs repeal of bike ordinance, Detroit Free Press
• Detroit council moves to repeal bike registration fines, Detroit News
• Bike registration law rolls toward repeal, Detroit News

Tags: bicycle license, Bike Riders United, Detroit

This entry was posted on Monday, July 28th, 2008 at 4:08 pm and is filed under Detroit, Law. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.